Two people died, and 18 were injured when a small plane crashed into the roof of a commercial building in Southern California on Thursday, according to police.
The crash occurred at 2:09 p.m. in Fullerton, Orange County, said Fullerton police spokesperson Kristy Wells.
Firefighters and police responded to the scene, extinguished a fire caused by the crash, and evacuated nearby businesses, Wells said. The fire damaged the warehouse, which housed sewing machines and textile supplies. The building was occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery company, per signage on the door.
Ten individuals were hospitalized, while eight received treatment at the scene and were released. Two fatalities were confirmed, Wells said.
Details about the type of aircraft or whether the victims were on the plane or the ground were not immediately available, Wells added.
FlightAware, a flight-tracking site, indicated the crash involved a four-seat, single-engine plane that went down about a minute after takeoff.
Security camera footage from Rucci Forge, a nearby wheel manufacturing business, captured the plane’s descent. The video shows a fiery explosion and a plume of black smoke as the plane, tilted on its side, crashed into the building.
The crash occurred near Fullerton Municipal Airport, a general aviation facility with one runway and a heliport, located about six miles (10 kilometers) from Disneyland. The area features a mix of residential neighborhoods, warehouses, and a nearby Metrolink train line.
Last November, another four-seat plane crashed into a tree half a mile from the airport during an emergency landing shortly after takeoff. Both occupants sustained moderate injuries, according to the Orange County Register.
Fullerton, a city of approximately 140,000 residents, is located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.
